Rotary selecting mechanism for vending machines



, 1,619,294 March 1927' w, c. CUTLER ROTARY SELECTING MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed 001.13. 1925 1 N V EN TOR Mzemamm Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

STATES PATENT QFFIYJCE,

WILLIAM C. oU'rLnaor- GLENDALE, eimoam 'ssmme 'r'o ISABEEELA curt-En;

- or GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA. V

ROTARY SELECTING MECHANISM 'r onvmv'nrne' MAoHIn'Es,

A i'plica'tioir fired October 13, 1925'. Serial no. 62 ,253.

The present invention relates to selective vending machines and has for its principal object the provision of a machine in: which there is provided a plurality of article holding spaces, arranged to be seen by the operator of the machine, from any selected one of which holders the contents may be had by proper ope ra'ti'on ofthe machine. 7

Xnother'ob'ectof the iiiven'ti'on is to provide a machine-of the above character, in cluding several article holders, in which machine only one coin chute and operating mechanism is required". v v

Another object of the invention is to pro vide for employing-sim le and visible selecting means; 7

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine in which the article holders may be radially arranged to provid'e a compact machine ofboth minimum height and breadtl'i, in which machine selec tive vending if the contents is accomplished without collectively moving: or disturbing the contained"articles. I

Another object of he invention is to' provide macl'iine which is" readily. refilled.

Stillanother object of the invention is to provide a coin Controlled vending machine in which the coin controlled mechanism is readily removed and replaced with another or repaired, without disturbing the contents of the machine.

Still other objects and advantages of my invention will appear hereinafter. I

I have illustrated my invention by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front view on a small scale, of one practical embodiment of my invention. 7

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section, on a larger scale, as seen on a line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view in section on a. line 33 of Figure 2, on the same scale as Figure 1.

More specifically, in carrying out my invention in the embodiment illustrated I provide a casing 6 having a rear wall 7 anda complete annular wall 8 spaced forwardly of the rear wall to providethe space 9. 7

front wall 10 is provided which is similar.

to the back wall e-Xcept'that it'is fitted with a circular glass door 11 thru which the article holding portion of the machine is visible and th'ru which the machine may be filled. The annular WilllSlSSllOh Il integralwith the front wall and" includes integral walls 12' which are directed radially in wardly to provide a plurality ofarticieholding pockets l2 'op'e'ncat the front" as at M and openat the rear as atil5. The inner ends of. opposed walls are bent inwardly as at 16 to retain a package :or article such as 17. Obviously an article may be inserted in a holder th'rutlie front open end and may be removed from the rear open end. The rear wall continues well below the lowermost part of the annular wall and curves forwardas at-1 8 to provide an article discharging chute 19'. Any article? which is forced out of a holder thru the rear open end will fall into the chute from which it may beobtained. Where boxes of a constant size are employed-said boxesshould be a friction" fitin the holder 3' sothat they cannot be vibrated or: otherwise moved therefrom without applying appreciable-force to y the forward 7 ends thereof:

Thedoor of the casing is provided with look (not shown); The casing wall is pro vided with a coin slot 25 A push rod 26' passes thru the casing and has its inner end within the interior of the machine while its outer end terminates in a push button 27. Coin controlled locks and the like are well understood and it is not necessary to herein describe any specific form, it being understood that the push rod cannot be forced inwardly unless a coin is deposited in the coin slot, and when the rod has once been pushed in and allowed toreturn, it cannot be moved inwardly again until anothercoin is deposited. I

The portion of the rod which is within the article holding casing is provided with a single radially projecting finger 29 adapted to move inwardly of the machine with the push rod to force an article out of its holder into the dotted line position in which such article is shown in Figure 2.

In conformance with a salient feature of this invention, the article holders are sta- In other words, the rod may be revolved I regardless of whether or not a coin is inserted in the slot. The lock includes a movable member arranged to be abutted by a collar 31 carried by the push rod. This member is normally in the dotted line position shown in Figure 2, but when a coin is inserted in the mechanism it is moved to the position shown, permitting the rod to be pushed inwardly of the machine.

To operate the machine, the rod is turned until it is alined with, or points to, the desired article. The articles are all visible thru the glass door, there being no articles in'in'iediatcly behind the ribs. The finger serves as a visible indicator, and thenatnre of the article containcdin an article holder may be indicated directly on the visible sura face of the box. \Vhen the finger is alined with the desired article a coin inserted in the slot. Then the rod is pushed inwardly and the linger moves bet-ween the walls of an article holder and forces the article out rearwardly. The article then gravitatcs into the chute. i

To refill the machine or to replenish any holder the front door is swung open on its hinge 32. The fingen rod. and coin controlled rod-lock are all carried by thedoor. If the operating parts become clogged or otherwise damaged a new door is very readily installed in place of the old one.

Vhile I have shown and described a specific embodimentof my invention I do not limit myself to any specific construction or arrangement of parts and may alter same as I desire or as occasion requires, without enlarging the scopeof my invention within the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a selective vending machine, a casing, a plurality of radially arranged article holders encompassing a central coaxial space, a push rod extended thru said casing movable thru said space; said push rod being rcvoluble and said holders being open in the rear, a fin er extended radially from said rod, said linger arranged to move with said rod to eject the contents of any holder with which it is registered.

2. In a selective vending machine, a casing including an annular wall having its axis horizontally disposed, a vertical front wall adjacent said annular wall, a vertical rear wall spaced from said annular wall; a plurality of dividing walls projecting radially inwardly from said annular wall and providing a plurality of radially arranged article holding spaces, and a chute beginning between the rear wall and the annular wall and leading to an opening in said front walL a push rod passing thru said front wall, a finger within said casing projecting radially from said rod; said finger being movable inwardly of the casing with said rod to pass thru any article holding space with which it is registered, and said rod being revoluble to selectively register said finger with an y selected article holder.

3. Ina selective vending machine a pluralitv of radially arranged article holders open front and rear, a revoluble push rod co-axial of said article holdeis, and a finger projecting from said rod movable thru any article holder with which it is registered.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM C. CUTLER. 

